"I Can't Hear You!", To Snatch Away, At The Top Of Your Lungs, Hanging Your Head (In Shame)

"I Can't Hear You!"
An idiom used by military drill sergeants in an aggressive, provocative way. When a drill sergeant yells this at a new recruit at a distance of two inches, the message being conveyed is this: "Speak louder!"

Being an idiom, this is not formal, and it is far less polite - but it is not intended to be polite. It is intended to get the recruit accustomed to being yelled at and to respond in a soldier-like manner.

Even though this idiom has military roots, it is used throughout society to imply that the speaker should speak louder. Here's an example without relying on the idiom alone:

Example: Janet was trying to call Jonathan on his cell phone to tell her about Lisa's getting engaged to be married. Jonathan was having a difficult time hearing Janet's voice due to poor signal strength. He said to her, "I can't hear you! Speak louder!" Janet replied at the top of her lungs, "LISA'S GETTING MARRIED!" Jonathan replied, "Oh!! That's wonderful!"


To Snatch Away
To snatch away something is to a) grab onto something, b) take possession of it, c) take it out of reach of the original possessor.

This idiom is often split.

Example: "The Washington Redskins snatched victory away from the Arizona Cardinals with a last-minute field goal, winning the game 22 to 21


At The Top Of Your Lungs
To say something at the top of one's lungs is to say it very loudly, probably by SHOUTING.

The reason Internet writers are encouraged not to use "all caps" (all capital letters) is because it is understood by the native English speaker as equivalent to shouting, which is far too loud for a conversational tone.

Example: Lisa entered the home of her best friend and exclaimed at the top of her lungs, "I'm getting married!!!" Her best friend Janet replied, "That's wonderful!!" in a normal voice.


Hanging Your Head (In Shame)
To "hang your head" is not to commit suicide; it is to lower your head in shame or embarrassment.

You hang your head by tilting your head forward, eyes looking down. This is body language associated with shame, defeat, and humiliation.

Example: "In football, only those who hold back, who give less than their best effort to win, should hang their heads in shame."


➤ Read more idioms and phrases, English grammar and vocabulary at Basic English Grammar And Vocabulary .